Apples
by SuzyQBeats
Summary: Ruth knew what she was doing is considered very wrong and manipulative, she also didn't care because the streets of England aren't nice and it's their fault for taking away her normal life.
1. Chapter 1

**My fans are probably angry with me right now for starting another story with my already list of unfinished ones. **

**What can I say, I had an idea that wouldn't leave and I must write and post it. : P**

**Only warning throughout the entire story:**

**This story contains child endangerment, abuse curse words, depression, and all the unpleasant things that come with starvation and desperation mixed together. Graphic scenes such as gore. **

**Not a entirely happy story either because Snape and Spinner's End is such a ball of sunshine...**

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**Disclaimer: No ownership over Harry Potter, just a person with a wild imagination.**

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I never thought I'd wake up a kid again one day. It's not something a person usually thinks about. In a way, I was glad I was a kid again. Now I had more time to figure out what to do with the life I kind of just stumbled through.

That thought lasted for a solid minute before I realized my less than pleasing conditions.

I am a kid, though I think a child fits more appropriately, and I live in an alleyway. Nothing special because a lot of people don't have a home. That's why shelters and orphanages were built.

Unfortunately, I'm an idiot and I knew nothing about surviving on the streets long enough to get to an orphanage.

I once lived a normal, middle-class life in America so it's really no surprise I'm most likely going to die on this gloomy cobblestoned alleyway. It's not too bad of a place to die again I suppose. The stench of stink wasn't so bad after all. The thought of my rotting corpse stinking up the alleyway passed through my mind.

I briefly wondered if that was a good sign of m mental state. Then I ignored it because my body's cold shivers and sore muscles won out over mental health. My stomach clenched painfully and my chaps lips left an ugly taste in my mouth.

Watching as people passed by, not noticing the child tucked away in the corner of an alley, I figured there would be no food for me today or tonight.

Couldn't steal food. Not because it's wrong to steal but because I didn't have the skill set to get away with it. My legs couldn't outrun an angry store employee or stall owner.

Too weak, too small.

I almsot cried at the thought of my own death.

Almost.

…

I found myself still awake two weeks later and the mist penetrated my worn clothing. My hair is a given up on tangled mess and my limbs moved sluggishly through the cracks between rowed brick houses.

Never stepping foot into the main road. It scared me, nobody else wandered into the main road and I certainly didn't feel like setting any trends today.

I got tired of _my _alley and went to explore. Of course, I shouldn't be wasting my energy on this but then again there is always the chance I could stumble upon something that would help me out of this mess.

The streets were completely quiet and I wasn't so pampered to not know that this part of town I've wondered into is dangerous and poor. Which is why I observed from the shadows, watching, always watching.

If I hadn't been looking I would have missed the curtain of a brick house open. A boys head looked out and our eyes seemed to meet but I doubted it. My dark clothes and skin probably disappeared in the dark. There's no way he could see me.

His eyes were so...scared it freaked me out. He didn't seem scared for himself but for me I realized after his eyes would look towards the exit to wherever this place is. There is a fist-sized bruise formed on his cheek which caused my heart to seizure.

I became more unsure as he continued to stare directly at me. Unnerved I shrunk back more into the creep shadows and I silently cursed myself for being so unsettled because of a boy.

That day I found nothing to help me because I hurried back to my alley like the coward I was.

…**.**

My legs gave out on me as I collapsed in a heap behind a brick house.

Hearing the angry mutters of the woman chasing me, in a last-minute decision I ducked underneath bags of trash. The smell assaulted my senses first than the feel of something wet pressed against my legs. It slipped down my skin and I dared not move, clutching my treasures to my chest tighter.

"Where did that blasted child go?" the woman I had stolen from muttered. I listened in fright as her voice moved further away.

My tense muscles relaxed after another minute. Then I couldn't stay underneath the bags any longer and slide out as quietly as I could and made a dash further through the street I have tried to avoid since a week ago.

I couldn't go back to my alley because the woman would surely be there waiting for me. My _home _was compromised and I had nowhere to go.

That's when I noticed the boy from before sneaking through cracks like a pro. I followed him curiously as to where he would lead me. I'm not disappointed when the cobblestone street changes to dirt and grass.

I'm unknowing lead to a hideous tree straight from a horror movie. I whistle impressed as he literally walks into an opening in the tree.

The noise is not missed by the boy and he turns sharply to me alert with a dangerous edge to his eyes. They widen briefly in recognition before narrowing suspiciously.

"You followed me." It wasn't a question but a statement.

I shrugged before sitting down right where I stood because I realized that I wasn't that scared of a little boy. "We just happened to be walking in the same direction," I set my spoils out before in before digging in.

A loud rumbling sound caught my attention and the boy shrunk back in himself before glaring at me as if it was my fault he was hungry.

I took in the sunken eyes, sickly skin, mismatched clothes with holes in them that looked like hand-me-downs of three generations and realized he was similar to me. With no words, I tossed a beautiful apple at him. I expect him to catch it but he flinched and the apple changed direction in mid-air. Instead of going in the direction I initially threw it, It landed inches away from him.

Nothing special, I wasn't a expert at aim but the apple became rotten and I mourned its loss. Anger flushed my system. "Idiot!" See this is why kindness is unnecessary. I could have saved that apple for later. Who the hell does this kid think he is?!

"Dude! Are you mental?!" I stood up enraged and he stepped back. "You just ruined a perfectly _good _apple! A fucking healthy fruit you, dumbass!" Does he not know how hard it is to steal even one apple? The sweets fruits are so valuable overpriced it brings tears to my eyes at the sweet juices I won't get to taste because of this stupid boy.

I didn't care what he just did defied all laws nature. I cared that he ruined and disrespected my first act of kindness in my second life.

Marching up to him, he stumbled back and tripped over a bulging tree root, I grabbed the front of his shirt. Most definitely stressing the already weak fabric. "What is your name?"

He blinks at my question and I shake him violently and repeat my question with a snarl.

"S-severus." He stumbles over his words.

My snarl loosens and I get a nagging sensation in the back of my head. I write it off as another hunger headache. I also purposely tell my heart to fuck off as I can see small healing cuts and bruises litter his face

Don't care much either.

"Well, Severus," I drawl out not so kindly. "You owe me another apple." I paused for a second. "Plus interest of course."

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**Well, this is something new for me and I really hoped you liked it! I'm dying to hear your thoughts on this story and where you think it will go!**


	2. Almost Magic But Not Quite

**I can't say I'm not happy that I already have people who enjoy the story. **

**Disclaimer: No ownership over the original Harry Potter**

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** Almost Magic But Not Quite**

I released an impressed whistle once I'd actually gotten to see inside the tree. It was hollowed out enough to fit three of me's. I didn't care much for the more closer details because it is still just a tree.

Ugly, scary tree at that.

No use wasting my time observing it when the scenery around the tree was more pleasing anyways. Pink and yellow flowers swayed gently with the grass and weeds as far as the eyes could see. The tree itself sat on top of a kind of steep hill bigger than the ones surrounding it.

"Well damn."

Sitting down on one of the tree roots sticking up from the ground, I watched as the boy's sickly pale face slowly turned red.

"You can't stay here."

I tilted my head at his tone. "Why not?" I looked around, there isn't anybody else. Doesn't appear like private property either. "Looks like fair game to me."

Not that anybody around here cares about what is or isn't private property.

Something dark entered his eyes and maybe, just maybe I realized this kid might be mentally unstable. "No, it's mine."

"Does it have your name on it?" I retorted and I couldn't quite keep the mirth from my eyes. What? Don't judge me, this is the first time in months I've had a conversation with another human being. Even if he does look ready to explode my head.

This made him pause. "No." He sounded uncertain.

Smirking I shrugged my shoulders. "I call dibs then." I was disappointed when this didn't bring more a reaction out of him.

His sunken eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Dibs? What is that?" His accent was prominent in each word. It was actually pleasant to the ears. Though when (if) he hits puberty it's probably just sound like every other English man.

"Ya know...dibs." I became more uncomfortable the longer he stood there confused. Throwing my head back I groaned in annoyance. "Man, you're depressing."

A flash of hurt sprung forth in his eyes then. "At least I don't steal." it was meant as an insult.

"What makes you think I stole this?" I held the remaining stick of bread up and wiggled it. My eyebrow quirked. "Maybe it was given to me."

He laughed bitterly at me and I was tempted to join him. I would have if his large eyes weren't so dark, brown darkened bags underneath, and fuck he looks like the kind to crawl off of under your bed and stare at you well you sleep.

"Fine, I stole it. Who cares?"

He shrugged and sat down on a root himself. Not close to me, but on the other side of the tree completely. I couldn't even see him, didn't look for him either. We sat in silence, except for his stomach growling, and me eating loudly.

Don't look at me like that. He's the one who ruined the food I offered.

I swallowed and immediately wished I had some clean water to drink...well any water that wasn't _too _brown. Thinking back on my first time ever seeing him, my heart decided to overpower my brain telling my mouth to just stay shut. That the tense silence is completely fine. "So...where'd ya get the bruises?"

"Who cares?" He snapped my words back at me.

Flipping him off, where he could see it, I ate another piece of bread. His cheeks flushed and his stomach made itself known again. I almost laughed before I realized how evil that would be.

_Almost._

If things were better I would have offered the last of my bread to him. But shit wasn't better and I'm hungry too and it's his fault he's hungry so tough titty. Shoving the rest of the bread into my mouth, I stood up to leave.

"I'll be back because I still call dibs," I said loudly enough for him to hear. He didn't answer me back, but I didn't expect him to either.

**…**

It's funny actually, really damn funny.

Laughter spilled from my lips hysterically as I slumped against a building that had something sticky and slimy on it. I didn't move like I would have the first two months after I woke up.

My heart slammed against my ribcage, my breathing came out raggedly; hitching here and there.

_Rough hands pinned my stomach down as I tried to squirm out. Something inside a trashbag dug painfully into my back._

_Her voice shouldn't have sounded so gentle when she spoke. "Give it to me. This will all be over." _

My hands flew up, palms shoving violently into my eyes as a scream tore from my mouth. I didn't care to be quiet, the sound of the storm drowning out all other noises.

I hadn't even heard her come up behind me. I was too caught up in my catch to even think of somebody stealing what I have already stolen from me. Never crossed my mind and now I feel like bashing my head against the bricks surrounding me because I'm a damn fool. I let my guard down and I paid for it.

Some part of me knew that I wasn't the only one living in this hell and struggling, but now...now I was forced to acknowledge the fact that there are bigger (stronger) people that are willing to stomp on the smaller to get what they want.

_My hand shot up to push against her stomach and I paused when I felt the familiar rumbles and grumbles that still keep me up at night. She took that chance to knock my hand aside and delivered a swift blow to my eye. Then the weight of the warm plate of foods I'd stolen from an old woman was stolen from me. _

There is no kindness in the streets of England. There will always be competition for food and shelter.

Competition to survive and I lost this round. I lost, I lost, I lost, _lostlostlostlost_. My hands pulled on the matted strands of hair.

Something warm sparked, yes sparked, in my chest before plummeting to my stomach. I stared down at my stomach in wonder.

This isn't normal. I suddenly became aware of the hum in my limbs and throughout my body. It was so comforting that I wanted to close my eyes and fall asleep here. But I couldn't because nobody was safe in these streets.

Not even starving children.

**…**

My stomach felt as if it was eating itself. I'd long since stopped feeling the pain months ago.

I remember how it is moments like these I wondered if I was going to die now (finally), that I missed _home _the most. My warm bed, hot food, and the laughter-filling every open space of my mom's house.

Cold, so cold and wet bark dug into my back as I occupied the tree I called dibs on about a month ago. I rarely saw the boy...Severus was his name. We both had separate lives so it was no surprise that we didn't come to the tree at the same time or even close.

I only cared a little; mainly because the silence...the stretching silence that my voice didn't quite push out stayed with me.

Severus and I weren't friends, but his voice filled the silence when I aggravated him enough. I enjoyed especially when he would shout or exclaim. It drove the silence further away than normal talk.

_Come back here you little- Somebody stop that thief!-_

Besides, it was better than the shouts of angry stall owners.

Some part of my brain told me the only reason they were mad is that with every spoil I got away with was money loss. The money they could use for food or support their own families. But that was some part of me, the larger (angriergrieved_hateful_) part of me simply didn't care because they ignored me.

A physically five-year-old (I'm guessing, don't know how old I really am) child starving, clothes covered in disease. I'm honestly surprised I'm not dead.

"You're not dead."

Huh?

Looking up from my hunched position at the base of the tree, I saw the boy...Severus is his name staring down at me with those creepy-ass eyes of his. The light shining behind him shadowed his features.

"I'm not?" I didn't quite know how to feel about the disappointment in me.

I knew this boy was messed up when he allowed a small snort to escape. I loved how the sound echoed in the hollowed tree. My spit couldn't moisturize my mouth. I didn't bother talking anymore.

An apple placed on my boney knee is the only thing that brought my hazy eyes back to semi-focus. On my dried skin, I saw a lackluster rotting apple. Upon grasping it with weak fingers, I felt my tips sink slightly into the apple.

In a past life, I would have thrown away the apple with only a small amount of hesitation. In this life, I used the last of my energy to take a bite out of the old apple.

"It's like that because you never come when I do."

Swallowing hastily, I choked and coughed.

His shadow moved now slightly. I guess he was making sure I haven't gone full-blown cannibal. "This means my debt is repaid. Will you leave?"

"The funny thing about interest is that it goes up every year." I didn't have to see his face to know he is most likely frowning.

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**Here ya go, folks! Another chapter of Apples because I'm so in love with yall who are interested and you deserve to read more.**

**Please tell me your thoughts about 'Apples' so far and what do you think the orphaned OC is going to change willingly and unknowingly?**

**Obviously, things are bound to change because the Ripple and Butterfly Effect is very real.**


	3. Author's Note

**It pains me to write this but…**

**Author's Note**

**I'm writing this author's note to inform my precious readers on my multiple stories to inform you all that all story updates will dramatically slow down due to life, unfortunately. **

**I'm in the process of creating an online business, along with establishing business with companies in my home town, along with research. The majority of my time is currently spent on research and building up, the rest is invested in my family and upcoming school year. This busy schedule does not allow me to write much to any if at all. **

**However, I am still writing. Trust and believe I'm not slacking. I'm just not writing a lot in one sitting as I used to because my brain is cluttered with more pressing issues. I hope you can understand and still support my stories through this period in my life. Once I've completed my business I will personally invite you to explore my store. Maybe with a special code only for my fanfiction people. (*wink* *wink*)**

**I'm also writing this note to ask (because I love talking to y'all) if you want me to post what I've already gotten written down as a sneak-peek into the next chapter? **

**Thank you for taking the time out of your life to read this. I cherish, appreciate, and care about you. **

**Sincerely,**

**SuzyQbeats.**


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